Circular scaffold



April 4, 1944.

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CIRCULAR SCAFFOLD Filed May 26, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 wow,

April 4, 1944. w. M. JORDAN 2,346,033

' CIRCULAR SGAFFOLD Filed May 26, 1943' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,2; I Jada/L.

Patented Apr. '4, 1944 2,53%,033 OJEQUPM SCAFFOLD wanes Marsden Jordan, Johnstown, 2 assignor to Bethlehem Steel Qompany, a corporation of" Pennsylvania A pnc n iuayizs, 1943, Serial No. 488,490

" 13 Claims. (01.304 12 My invention relates in general to suspended scaffolds and more particularly to circular? scaf,

folds adapted for use in relining blast furnaces and similar tubular structures of large dimens1ons. 4

The typical modern blast furnace is a tall circular structure, 90 tov 100 feethigh, built of fire-brick, reinforced externally by a closefitting steel shell; and encasing a'circular space varying in diameter from about'lfi to 22 feetat the top, or throat, to about 22 to 28 feet at the mandle, just above the bosh. In the relining of such a furnace, which is necessary at fairly regular intervals, closeto theequivalent of 1,000,000 nine-inch firebricks may be re-' replaced by the brickform. When it reaches the mantle, where the furnace diameter is greatest, the accumulated extensions to the platform result in an unsafe structure cantilevered from the inner scaffold frame. In relining the furnace the process is reversed, and the outer perimeter of thetir'nber platform must be reduced to conform tothe furnace lining before each step of hoisting.

One object of my invention, therefore, is to provide improved supporting means for the scaffold.

Another object is to provide a sturdy circular scaffold peripherally extensible and contractible to conform to furnace lines.

A further object is to provide a hinged scaffold which can be easily folded and conveniently inserted into and removed from the blastiur nace.

Other objects, advantages and purposes of my invention will appear hereinafter in the specification and in the appended-claims, and in order to desoribemyinvention more clearly I shall now refer to the annexed three sheets of drawings forming a part o fthis specification and in which like figures of reference indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a vertical section, illustrating the operating arrangement of the scaffold ina blast furnace;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the scaffold with. the wooden flooring partly broken away to show the metal supporting frame;

3 is a side elevation of the scafiold shown inFig.2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged. section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.- 3, and showing in detail the hinge connection;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a box channel and extension beam, taken along the line. 5+5 of Fig.8; 1

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the outer end of the'box channel;

Fig. 7 is an end-viewof-the box channel;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the extensionbeam;

Fig. 9is an enlar ed broken side view of the roller-carrying the-front endofthe extension beam;

Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line I0 I0- ofFig.1l;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged View showing the rollers on the inner end of the extensionbeam; and

Fig.12 is a detail view of-a flooring tie-plate. My scaifold is constructed in the-following manner. A strong square supporting frame l= is made by joining the short'lengths of'I-beams 2 and 3 with the hinge '4, constructed of heavy welded' flanged platesections 5 and- 6 pivoting on 'fiat'head hinge pin 7' retainedby round plate washer Band cotter-pin 9 and held in open positionby the tapred'bridge bolt 10 and the heavy nut" and jam'nut. l2; spaced parallel thereto are placed similar short I-beams i3 and It, joined"b'y hinge I5 made of flanged plate-sections -16 and IT, pivoting on-fiat head hinge-pin I8 retained by washer 'IQ'and'cOtter-pin 20, and held "ope' by" bridge bolt 21' and nuts Hand 23; the remainingsides of the square frame I being formedby the'long'I-beamsfl and'25 welded to the"out'er' ends'of said'shortI-beams.

It isgeometrically' obvious that the length of eachsideof'the square frame l may not exceed thediameter of a chorcl subtending a angle, or approximately i the: smallest diameter of the enclosingfstructure; "Corrier'br'aces 26 consist} ofshorti'chamiel-shaped "members '27 welded digg'o giiy' at the corners of the frame I; strengthened by flat stiffening plates 28, and perforated for the insertion of eye bolts 29 held by'nu ts30.

Upon the. supporting frame I, near the center and spaced equidistant from each side of the hinges l4 and I5, are welded long hollow box girders 3| and 32, each consisting of a: pair of channel-shaped member 33, the other channel-. shaped member 34 of each of the long girders 3| and 32 being cut away suitably and braced by conventional welded angle 44. I w

Movable in and out on said lower rollers 38 and 43 and on upper and lower beveled wheels 45 and 46, within the hollow box girders 3|, 32 and 42, are the extension I-beams 41. At the inner end of each I-beam 41 the top and bottom flanges 48 and 49 are cut away for a short distance and the remaining end web portion is strengthened by welded stiffening plates 50 and upon which on peened flat head pins 52 and 53 are journaled the beveled wheels 45 and 46 which align-and support the inner end of the I-beam. f

The outer end of each extension I-beam 41 is supported on lower roller 38 or 43, and has terminally attached thereto an end plate 54 bent slightly inwardly at top and bottom. Bolt 55 may be passed through suitable holes 56 and 51 in the I-beam 41 and enclosing box girder and secured by the nut 58 when it is desired to prevent outward movement of the I-beam 41.

Clip angles 59 welded to the sides of the hollow box girders 3|, 32 and 42 provide support for wooden nailing strips 60 to which the inner or central planking 6| is secured. When the I- beams 41 are extended to enlarge the scaffold, the outer planks 62, which may be of greater thickness than the central planking 61 to provide an even platform surface, are secured to flanged tie-plates 63 resting on I-beams 41 by bolts 64, washers 65, and nuts 66, and/or by pins 61, which pins may be integral with the tie-plates as shown in Fig. 12.

In rebuilding the blast furnace 68 with the use of my scaffold, the-furnace top is first removed, the folded scaffold inserted, and a temporary wooden platform 69 installed at the top. Upon this platform 69 is placed hoist structure and the motor operated hoists 1 I, from which by ropes 12 passing through sheaves 13 on the eyebolts 29 the completed scaffold is suspended and may be raised or lowered as desired. The old refractory lining is then removed, the hearth and bosh relined with firebrick, and a tight wooden platform 14 is installed at the top bosh band 15. Refractory brick 18 is then laid inside the stack to the top, the end plates 54 contacting the lining brick 1B, and the outer planks being removed as the scaffold is made smaller. There is ample space for conventional elevators and/or ladders (not shown) to pass through the open central portion of the scaffold as desired.

Although I have described my invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited strictly to the exact and specific details above shown and described, but I may also use such substitutions, modifications or equivalents thereof as are embraced within the scope of the invention or as are pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within square supporting frame made in two sections, hinges pivotally joining the two sections of the frame, telescoping radial members attached to the top of the frame, and planking mounted on the radial members.

2. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a hinged supporting frame, radial hollow members each consisting of a pair of welded channels fastened to the frame, an I-beam telescoping normally horizontally within each radial member, and a curved end plate at the outer end of each I-beam for making contact with the tubular structure.

a tubular structure, comprising a substantially r 3. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a horizontal square supporting frame having corner braces, a plurality of spaced telescoping radial members on said frame, planking fastened to the radial members, and means attached to the corner braces for suspending the scaffold from the top of the tubular structure.

4. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a hinged supporting frame, radial hollow box-like members welded to said supporting frame, wooden planking sections secured to said box-like members, I- beams adapted to be horizontally extended from the hollow box-like members, and separate wooden planking sections removably fastened to said I-beams.

5. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a substantially square supporting frame consisting of two sections, a pair of hinges pivotally uniting the two sections, means for holding the hinges in open position, a plurality of hollow radial members mounted on the supporting frame, an extension member telescoping Within each hollow radial member, and removable wooden planking on the hollow radial members and the extension members.

6. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a pair of symmetrical welded sections each forming a rectangular frame open on one side, hinges joining the pair of rectangular frames together on their open sides, means inserted through the hinges for holding the hinges in open position, radial telescoping members fastened to each rectangular frame, and removable plank flooring on the telescoping members.

'7. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a pair of hinged parallel main girders, connecting girders secured at the ends of the main girders to form a square supporting frame, a plurality of telescoping ra-' dial members on the square supporting frame,

radial members.

8. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a pair of short I-beams, a hinge foldably joining the pair of I-beams, a second pair of short I-beams parallel to the first pair, a second hinge foldably joining the second pair of I-beams, a pair of long I- beams rigidly connecting the outer ends of the short I-beams to form a square supporting frame, a. plurality of radially extensible members mounted on the square supporting frame, and plank flooring on the radially extensible members.

9. A scaffold adapted to be suspended Within a tubular structure comprising a pair of rectangular welded sections, a pair of heavy flanged on which each hinge pivots, a tapered bridge-bolt and nut for holding open each hinge, a plurality of radial extension members secured to the welded sections, and planking on the radial extension members.

10. A scafiold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising two equal supporting sections, a pair of hinges joining the two sections, a plurality of radial hollow box-like beams mounted on the supporting sections, a pair of side plates Welded to the outer portion of each of said box-like beams, a roller rotatably journaled between said side plates, an I-beam having wheels at its inner end and disposed in each box-like beam with web vertical and slidable on its bottom flange over the roller, and removable wooden planking covering the box-like beams and the I-beams.

11. A scaifold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a hinged supporting frame, a plurality of radial members welded to the supporting frame, a plurality of clip angles welded to the sides of the radial members, Wooden nailing strips held by the clip angles, and floor planking nailed to the nailing strips.

12. A scaffold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a square supporting frame, a plurality of hollow radial members welded to the supporting frame, a rolled beam member extending out of each hollow radial member, a flanged tie-plate on each rolled beam member, and floor planks secured to each tieplate.

13. A scafiold adapted to be suspended within a tubular structure, comprising a substantially square supporting frame, telescoping radial members fixed t0 the supporting frame, floor planking secured to the radial members, a short channelshaped member welded diagonally across each corner of the supporting frame, a flat stiffening plate welded to strengthen each channel-shaped member, an eye-bolt secured to each channelshaped member, a sheave fastened to each eyebolt, a rope passed through each sheave, and motor-driven hoisting means secured to each rope at the top of the tubular structure for raising and'lowering the scaffold.

WILFRED MARSDEN JORDAN. 

